Life-saving apparatus.



R. KAMIOKA.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 19M.

1 144,904. Patented June 29, 1915;

0 JZ 542 51 721 75%,2, 3 .9! v 15 THE NORRIS PETERS c0. F'HOTO-LITHO"WASHINGTON. D, C.

RIUHE KAMIOKA, or LAKE FOREST, ILLINoIs.

LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS.

menace.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pmbgnted June 29, 1915.,

Application filed May 22, 1914. Serial No. 840,350.

To all whom it may concern Be it known, that I. Rim-in KAMIOKA, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lake Forest, in the the countyof Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Life-Saving Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a swimming device and the principal object ofthe invention is to provide a swimming device by means of which a personcan propel himself through the water and which may be used as a lifesaving device.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forpropelling the swimming device through the water, the propelling meansconsisting broadly of a propeller shaft rotated by gear wheels mountedupon shafts turned by the feet and hands of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of bodyportion for the swimming device which at the same time will be light andthus easy to handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swimming device whichmay be easily steered and thus caused to move in the desired direction.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a side elevation of the improved swimming device; Fig. 2 isa bottom plan view of the improved swimming device; and Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view through the swimming device taken along theline 33 in Fig. 1.

The body portion of this device comprises a keel 10 which is preferablyformed of wood and a platform 11 preferably formed of cork or similarmaterial which is very buoyant and will thus float easily upon thewater. The forward portion 12 of the platform is extended diagonallydownward as clearly shown in Fig. 1 so that when in use the forwardportion will extend substantially parallel to the surface of the water.It should also be noted that the rear portion 13 of the platform 11 isthickened so that the rear portion of the swimming device will besupported and prevented from being carried beneath the surface of thewater by the weight of the propelling mechanism and rudder. The forwardportion of the swimming device is strengthened by plates 14 which extenddiagonally across the keel 10 and have their upper end portions 15'secured to the forward end portion of the platform 11. Plates 16 and 17are secured to the keel adjacent the forward shaft to be hereinafterdescribed and have their upper end portions 18 and 19 extending beneaththe platform 11 to strengthen the platform. The rear portion of theswimming device is also braced by means of plates 20 and 21 which areplaced adjacent the rear pedal shaft to be hereinafter described andhave their upper end portions extending beneath the rear end portion ofthe platform to brace the platform.

The propeller shaft 22 is positioned in a longitudinally extendinggroove or pocket 23 formed in the keel 10, the forward and rear endportions of the propeller shaft being rotatably mounted by means ofbearings such as shown at 21. The hand operated drive shaft 25 and thepedal shaft 26 are rotatably mounted in the keel and are provided withlarge beveled gears 27 and 28 I which mesh with the small beveled gears29 and 30 carried by the propeller shaft 22. It should be noted that thebeveled gears 27 and 28 are mounted upon opposite sides of the keel 10so that the swimming device will be evenly balanced and thus preventedfrom having a tendency to turn toward the one side and not sit straightin the water. It should also be noted that the brace 17 is in the formof a yoke which extends about the beveled gear 27 to reinforce the keelbut at the same time not interfere with the rotation of the gear 27. Thelower end portion of the bracing plate 21 is cut to extend about thegear 28 and brace the keel without interfering with the rotation of thegear 28. It should also be noted that the plates 16 and 20 are providedwith openings through which the shafts 25 and 26 pass and will thus formbearings for the shafts. Cranks 31 which are to be turned by hand arecarried by the forward shaft 25 and the cranks 32 which carry the footpedals 33 are carried by the rear shaft 26. It will thus be seen thatthe propeller shaft 22 can be rotated by a person straddling the centralportion of the platform 11 and placing the feet against the pedals 33and grasping the handles 3 1 of the cranks 31. The rudder 35 is carriedby the rear end portion 36 of the keel behind the propeller 37 and isheld in a desired position bya cable38 which passes around a pulleywheel or drum 39 carried by the shaft 40 of the tiller. I

When this device is in use it is placed in the water and is held in itsnormal position shown in'Fig. 1 due to the fact that the keel carries,the propellingvmechanism thus making the keel heavier than the platform11. The platform 11 by being formed of cork will cause the swimmingdevice to float upon the surface of the water, this floating actionbeing assisted by the fact that the keel is formed of wood. ,Ihe personusing this swimming device straddles the central portion and by leaningforwardly may grasp the handle 34.- with hishands and may place theswimming device to move in the desired" direction. It should benotedthat if desired the tiller may have its free end provided .with afork which would extend to engage the shoulders ofthe operator and thuspermit the swimming device to be guided by swinging the shoulders to oneside and thus move the tiller in the'desired direction. It

should also benoted that the central portion of the platform is shapedas shown in Fig. 2 so that a relatively wide support may be provided forthe body of the user.

What is claimed is p 1. A swimming device comprising a body portionincluding a platform'and keel, said platform having its forward endportion in clined'downwardly with respect to the central portion andhaving its rear end portion extending parallel to the plane of the for-Copies of this patent may be obtained for iivecents each, by addressing.the Commissioner of Patents.

. Washington, D. 6-.

ward portion and thickened, a propeller shaft rotatably carried by saidkeel, hand operated means for rotating said propeller shaft positionedadjacent the inner end of the forward portion of said platform, footoperated means for rotating said propeller shaft positioned beneath therear portion of said platform, a propeller carried by said propellershaft beneath therear portion of said platform, a rudder carried by saidkeel beneath the rear portion of said platform, a tiller carried by theforward portion of said platform, and means connecting said tiller withsaid rudder to permit said rudder to be turned by said tiller.

2. A swimming device comprising a body portion including a platform andkeel, said platform having its forward end portion inclined downwardlywith respect to the central portion and having its rear end portionextending parallel to the plane of the forward portions, apropellershaft rotatably carried by said keel, means for rotating saidpropeller shaft, and means for steering said swimming device.

3. A swimming device comprising a body portion including a platform andkeel, said platform having its forward end portion inclined downwardlywith respect to the central portion and having its rear end portionsextending parallel to the plane of the forward portion, andthickened, apropeller shaft rotatably carried by saidkeel, a propeller carried bysaid propeller shaft beneath the rear portion of said platform, a ruddercarried by said keel beneath the rear portionof said platform, operatingmeans for said rudder, and operating means for said propeller shaft. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RIUHE KAMIOKA.

ll itnesses Tnrsu MAsUDA, C. T. ATKINSON.

